OOXML Force-feeding Still a Wait-and-Watch Game

Dr. Roy Schestowitz

2008-03-29 17:21:25 UTC
Modified: 2008-03-29 17:21:25 UTC

Whilst the world awaits, ODF already pushed on with GNU/Linux

Calling the vote in individual countries has become rather dull, unless there are interesting stories to be told about known irregularities. It's still too close for conclusions to be drawn, the possibility of rule-bending and WTO intervention aside. Here you have it even from Microsoft's mouth:

"There are 87 different countries that are looking at this," Tom Robertson, general manager for interoperability and standards at Microsoft, told InternetNews.com. "It's still too early to say what's going to happen.,,"

Meanwhile, GNU/Linux gets a new beta of version 4.0 of Lotus Symphony. From BetaNews: IBM debuts beta of Lotus Symphony 4.0 for Linux

Symphony is based on the Open Document Format standard, and includes tools for users to import Microsoft Office and Adobe PDF files into the suite. IBM says this would make it easier to integrate the suite into current deployments.

The timing of this beta, not to mention the release of OpenOffice.org 2.4, couldn't get any more curious. Remember that IBM intends to bring Lotus to businesses, on top of GNU/Linux. Recent stories of interest:

IBM to offer Linux machines

The machines, it was announced, will come with Red Hat's Linux distro, and will come pre-loaded with software from IBM, including its Lotus Symphony suite.

More at Reuters: IBM, allies offer Microsoft-free PCs for E.Europe

International Business Machines Corp (IBM.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said it was offering the PCs based on the open-source Linux operating system together with Red Hat (RHT.N: Quote, Profile, Research) software distributor VDEL of Austria and Polish distributor and services firm LX Polska in response to demand from Russian IT chiefs.

Lastly, going further back:

Lotus Notes 8.5 to fully support Ubuntu Linux 7.0 in mid-2008

[...]

"We're doing pilots with customers now," Satyadas said. "Some of the requests came from big companies" with as many as 100,000 users that are interested in moving to Ubuntu Linux on the desktop.

[...]

"Linux is cool now," he said. "We use it ourselves. We are able to offer a secure, rich and cost-effective Microsoft alternative."

Good time ahead for GNU/Linux, thanks to ODF. ⬆

A Symphony of FOUR on Ubuntu GNU/Linux

Comments

Victor Soliz

2008-03-29 19:16:33

May I ask what does the four represent?
ODF supporter

2008-03-29 21:09:44

if you didn't know; norway and denmark voted yes for ooxml.
Victor Soliz

2008-03-29 21:37:40

Even if OOXML wins, we'll fight for ODF, MS wanted two standards and that's what they are going to get, they will still have to implement ODF correctly and I hope the EU helps common sense there.
Roy Schestowitz

2008-03-30 02:36:37

Even if OOXML wins...

Win this small round, you mean? This is just a first step and I believe it's going to backfire.

The EU Commission is already investigating this. Expect very heavy fines.

Additionally, watch the EC Web site. Short of embargo, procurement of Free software is strongly being encouraged.

As Neelie said a month ago, "if you flee the rules, you will get caught and it will cost you dearly."
LinuxIsFun

2008-03-30 05:36:39

Microsoft has lot of money and it is willing to pay the fines. It just needs to have its own way at expenses of others.

I = I S = Sold O = Out

ISO has lot all credibility.

It seems that OOXML is finally going to be accepted as a ISO standard unless some magic happens at the last moment. Money speaks.

Atleast some countries did vote "No" (to the money).
Roy Schestowitz

2008-03-30 05:54:35

It won't be the end of that. Quite a lot of investigations are being launched at the moment. If you spot abuses, please share them here because we need them documented where there are leaks (many will remain unreported).
Victor Soliz

2008-03-30 11:54:18

Just ignore the vote, too many irregularities, the outcome is OOXML winning by ONE vote, and there are way too many P countries in which there were irregularities, let's hope the EU saves the ISO.
Roy Schestowitz

2008-03-30 14:58:05

ISO should halt the process given all that has been published in the past few days. There are also the anti-trust questions to wonder about. The only problem that I see is that ISO is to a great extent controlled by Microsoft (we showed this before), so it's likely to just do what's good for Microsoft, not necessarily for ISO's reputation.

Remember that destruction of ISO's reputation works in Microsoft's favour. I'll write a post about it (with limited but compelling evidence) shortly.

OOXML Force-feeding Still a Wait-and-Watch Game

Lotus Notes 8.5 to fully support Ubuntu Linux 7.0 in mid-2008

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